Listening & Learning at SocialNext: Ottawa

Earlier this year, the Public Relations team at Porter O’Brien attended SocialNext in Ottawa. The conference brought together professionals in marketing and communications from across the non-profit and public sectors, providing an opportunity to learn more about current industry trends and what it means to be an effective communicator in the digital age. To us, the SocialNext conference can be described in one word: educational. 

Here are five key takeaways from SocialNext Ottawa 2026:

1. Authenticity is key

Any audience can sense when the content they’re being fed is insincere or has no heart to it. People are more likely to positively respond and stay engaged when they see content that truly shares the story of an organization and evokes a feeling, whether it be humorous or heartwarming. Showcasing “behind-the-scenes” content of your organization’s team is a great example of authentic storytelling.

2. If they can’t relate, they don’t care

An audience’s interest tends to go as far as they can relate to the content they’re digesting. It is crucial to think about your strategy from the perspective of your audience to understand how they will receive your message. When communicating a message, ask yourself: Why should my audience care about this? Is the language used easily digestible? Is the information I’m sharing on a scale that my audience can relate to in their daily lives? 

3. Scrutiny can be positive 

Audiences becoming skeptical or scrutinizing an organization is often seen as a negative in the communications space, however in a time when misinformation spreads faster than facts, scrutiny is something that should be invited. Scrutiny is a key part of building trust with your audiences; being able to answer questions authentically and listen to those engaging with you demonstrates that you recognize communicating as an organization is a two-way street.

4. AI is the way of the future 

AI is taking the marketing and communications sector by storm and continues to develop in ways that are transforming the industry. Although a controversial topic, there are numerous proven approaches to how an organization can successfully and ethically use AI, from aiding in internal processes to planning an online marketing campaign that maximizes reach and budget. Takeaway from this session: AI works as well as you know how to responsibly use it!

5. Obtaining and maintaining attention are two different things 

The age of social media has significantly shortened the human attention span, making it harder to not only catch the attention of your audience, but maintain their engagement. Eye-catching content that is adjusted to maximize the platform being used with an entertaining hook is key, while also ensuring you put forth a single clear message to avoid overwhelming your target audience. When it comes to maintaining audience engagement, consistency both visually and verbally is crucial to build a reliable platform that your target demographic keeps coming back to.